REVIEW: Just Jack by Christina Lee (Aqua Vista #1)

JUST JACK

Aqua Vista - Book One

by Christina Lee

Release Date: January 9, 2025

Review

Aqua Vista is a perfect little town. A little quirky and fun, and a lot wonderful. The kind of town that will do anything for its neighbours. Especially when half the neighbours are your family.

Jack and his family have deep roots in the town, they also have experienced a tragedy that rocked them and the town to its core. He’s also unlucky in love.

When city boy Aaron rolls up to his station one unforgettable night seems perfect. But when he comes back with an offer, our grumpy local is skeptical.

It’s a fantastic story that this both light and lovely, while also being deep and introspective. There is a lot of soul searching and growth, and wraps you up in a lovely HEA that will make you smile, while eagerly anticipating what comes next.

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Synopsis

Aaron

When I’m running on fumes while driving on what feels like the loneliest stretch of road in California, I worry I’m in trouble. Luckily, I happen upon Aqua Vista, a sleepy coastal town with the only pump for miles, and the grumpy owner who is more gorgeous than he has any right to be. When I’m told I’ll need more than fuel to disable the check engine light on my dash, I figure there are worse places to be stuck while my car gets needed repairs.

Jack

After driving the handsome city dweller to a local motel, the last thing I expect is the hot hookup that happens afterward. As soon as his car is ready, he’s on his way home, so imagine my surprise when he shows up a couple of months later with an offer to buy my business. No way I want an out-of-towner to own part of what my family has built here. Even if I’m not always fulfilled by it. Besides, it belonged to my parents, and it’s all I have left of them.

When Aaron decides to spend several days in town, I figure it’s to soften me up to his proposal. I shouldn’t hook up with him again. Or spend time showing him around…but I do. Before I know it, the charming, attractive visitor starts to feel familiar, almost like he belongs here. Like he’s woven himself into the very fabric of Aqua Vista. I’m fooling myself, of course, and it’ll certainly sting when he hits the road. Outsiders never stay, and though I secretly wish he would, I’m no stranger to heartache.

About Christina Lee

Once upon a time, Christina Lee was a wardrobe stylist in New York City. She spent her days schlepping clothes, hailing cabs, and on the hunt for the perfect lip gloss, which became a bit of an addiction—along with books and coffee. You could always find her perched in a corner booth of a favorite diner sipping a dark roast and reading.

She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband and son—her two favorite guys. She’s been a clinical social worker and a special education teacher and while very rewarding, they still didn’t feel like an exact fit. It wasn’t until she began writing a weekly column for the local newspaper that the bells went off in her head. She could finally draw from her real-life experiences and vivid imagination to write fiction—and she’s never looked back.

Christina writes romance in different sub-genres, but mostly with LGBTQ characters because representation matters and everyone deserves a happily-ever-after.

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